Vanderbilt Cup Races

Next year when I go out to the Peconic Swap Meet on L.I., I’ll keep an eye open for memorabilia for both the Black Beast and and the Tucker. That’s where I found your birthday book. Last Sunday in February. You might like this show, a lot of old nostalgia.
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Howard Kroplick

Bob, thanks again!

From Thursday's Treasures: Krug's Hotel, a Tucker Dealership Banner, 2 Met Fans & "My Hunt" Presentations

in the view with the transparent roof, that was to show how the third floor was much shorter from north to south then the first and second floors.  In the last view I removed the north side roof showing the ladder location.  The front cutaway sketch is another view of the ladder location.

Bob
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Howard Kroplick

Bob, on behalf of all Motor Parkway fans, thanks so much!

From An Insider’s Look into the Petit Trianon Part IV: The Floor Layouts

Thanks Bruce - always happy to do some research for a fellow enthusiast, and heir!

From Mystery Foto #13 Solved: The Record-Breaking Run from Chicago to New York in October 1904

what a shame that the tucker automobiles never made it to the showrooms as it would of been a successful business.

From Documenting 1947 New York Region Tucker Sales and Dealerships

Thanks to all who responded to this photo!  I sent it to Howard in hopes of getting more info about it since it was at the Vanderbilt course but did not run in the race.  You guys helped a lot, and I learned a few new facts about my grandfather and his adventures in the Columbia Car.  Check out my site… there are over 80 webpages about the Columbia cars from 1895-1913.  The full index is here…  http://www.kcstudio.com/colindex.html  Any further info is always appreciated.  BD
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Howard Kroplick

Bruce, thanks for documenting the historic run of your grandfather!
Howard

From Mystery Foto #13 Solved: The Record-Breaking Run from Chicago to New York in October 1904

From Ariejan Bos:

Hi Howard,
Here is the solution of the Friday-mystery. Although I suppose it was not too difficult and maybe lots of material is already available,  above is extra documentation! Thanks and best wishes,
Ariejan

The car is a 1904 Columbia 30-35 hp with stripped body, which brought the Chicago-New York record down to 58 hours and 45 minutes.

The car was driven by Bert Holcomb, Lawrence Duffie and Eddie Bald, who joined the other two in Cleveland. The start of the record run was on Tuesday, October 4th 1904 at 2 am and the run ended on 39th Street in New York on Thursday, Oct. 6th at 0.45 pm (the text on the banner reads 58 hours 35 minutes, but that was the time only until Weehawken ferry).

Although the record run itself was written a lot in the magazines, the fact that the car was present on the Vanderbilt race track there was almost nothing. A small article in the New York Times reported that the crew and car drove on to Garden City ‘after a brief rest’.

The Columbia is standing at the Vanderbilt course in the photo near the start/finish line with the timers’ and judges’ stand in the background. I assume that the photo was taken on Friday, October 7th, the day before the race: it is still very quiet and clean!

From Mystery Foto #13 Solved: The Record-Breaking Run from Chicago to New York in October 1904

From Ariejan Bos

Hi Howard,
Below is the solution of the Friday-mystery. Although I suppose it was not too difficult and maybe lots of material is already available, I attached for sure some extra documentation!
Thanks and best wishes,
Ariejan

The car is a 1904 Columbia 30-35 hp with stripped body, which brought the Chicago-New York record down to 58 hours and 45 minutes. The car was driven by Bert Holcomb, Lawrence Duffie and Eddie Bald, who joined the other two in Cleveland.

The start of the record run was on Tuesday, October 4th 1904 at 2 am and the run ended on 39th Street in New York on Thursday, Oct. 6th at 0.45 pm (the text on the banner reads 58 hours 35 minutes, but that was the time only until Weehawken ferry).

Although the record run itself a lot was written in the magazines, about the fact that the car was present on the Vanderbilt race track almost nothing. A small article in the New York Times reported that the crew and car drove on to Garden City ‘after a brief rest’. On the photo the Columbia is standing at the Vanderbilt course near the start/finish line with the timers’ and judges’ stand in the background. I assume that the photo was taken on Friday, October 7th, the day before the race: it is still very quiet and clean!

From Mystery Foto #12 Unsolved:Possible Options for this Long Island Motor Parkway Curve- Ca.1928 Update

The fact that a Tucker dealership was in Williston Park, NY is flabbergasting.  It was, and still is, a small hamlet just north of Mineola, NY.  It is also amazing that that address was also a Studebaker dealership.  Two small makes that decided to be in a small, developing community,  Amazing.  Bob Andreocci

From Documenting 1947 New York Region Tucker Sales and Dealerships

Howard….. Correct me if I’m wrong, but I think this blog has more comments than any of your past blogs?

From Mystery Foto #12 Unsolved:Possible Options for this Long Island Motor Parkway Curve- Ca.1928 Update

Very interesting to see how the Tucker story actually played out at the regional level.

From Documenting 1947 New York Region Tucker Sales and Dealerships

wonderful information Howard Thank you

From Documenting 1947 New York Region Tucker Sales and Dealerships

Looks like a 1904 Columbia with Eddie Bald, Larry Duffie and Bert Holcomb in it.
This car broke the time record between Chicago and New York that year.
The location looks like it might be the Westbury grandstand area before the start
of the Vanderbilt Cup race of 1904.

From Mystery Foto #13 Solved: The Record-Breaking Run from Chicago to New York in October 1904

That’s the 1903 Columbia that had just broken the record time for driving from Chicago to New York. That’s probably Bert Holcomb (real name=Burton Beckwith Holcomb) and Lawrence Duffie in the front with possibly Eddie Bald or Harry Sandell in the back. Their time of 58 hours & 35 minutes (as referenced on the banner on the car) had broken the previous time of 72 hours & 46 minutes which had been set by Ellis and Schnitt only a month prior. The photo was taken on Jericho Tpke. in Westbury in front of the grandstand that was set up for the first Vanderbilt Cup Race. Since Holcomb and the Columbia only arrived in New York on October 6, 1904, the photo was probably taken either on the 6th., 7th., or 8th., the date of the race.

From Mystery Foto #13 Solved: The Record-Breaking Run from Chicago to New York in October 1904

Howard,
I remember the Tucker dealership building at 46 Fulton St. in Hempstead.  It was south of the Hempstead business district.  To my knowledge, they never even had a car to show.  I can still imagine the neon TUCKER sign on the facade of the building.  I’m amazed at the documentation that you’ve been able to secure.  The whole story is fascinating.
Rog

From Documenting 1947 New York Region Tucker Sales and Dealerships

Frank-my apologies. My first thought was the tower was too far East to be seen in the ground level view of the Wheeler/Alley Pond bridge. After looking at Brian’s 8/24/11 blog LIMP Bridge Series #10 ground level Commonwealth Blvd Bridge photo, and looking at angles and perspectives, I’m pretty convinced now that that it indeed the water tower.

From Mystery Foto #12 Unsolved:Possible Options for this Long Island Motor Parkway Curve- Ca.1928 Update

This photo shows another historic feature that has never been called out before, at least to my knowledge.
In it is the hanger where Lindbergh’s Spirit of St. Louis was kept in the days before his historic flight.
But…what remains unclear to me is which building in the photo is actually the one?
Nothing in this general photo specifically identifies it.
But in close-up photos taken of the airplane in those days before May 20th, the hanger building is in the background.  There are distinct wood-frame supports for the hanger doors that rolled horizontally back to allow an aircraft to enter or leave.
The challenge is matching the close up with the building located near the “back” of this photo, closer to Old Country Road than to wherever the photographer was located when the photo was taken.
I am fairly certain that Lindbergh’s hanger was immediately adjacent and to the east of Clinton Avenue, within 100 yards to the south of Old Country Road.  And that the roll-away doors of the hanger faced to the south.  But without the ability to enlarge this photo I cannot confirm this.
Can anyone lend a hand?
The spot merits a historical marker.

From Mystery Foto #53 Solved: Clinton Road, the Motor Parkway in Garden City and Curtiss Field Circa 1926

Frank- Correct me if I’m wrong, but the water tower you are referencing in your aerial photo link is EAST of the Winchester bridge near Creedmoore. The Wheeler/Alley Pond Bridge in question is WEST of Winchester, so I’m not sure that is the tower.

From Mystery Foto #12 Unsolved:Possible Options for this Long Island Motor Parkway Curve- Ca.1928 Update

...can’t help but notice the front of this car, which seems to be enjoying the moment!

From Mystery Foto #13 Solved: The Record-Breaking Run from Chicago to New York in October 1904

For those who may have not found it, or are interested, here’s a website that was designed and maintained by Lawrence Duffie’s grandson, Bruce Duffie with information and newspaper articles.

http://www.kcstudio.com/lld3.html

From Mystery Foto #13 Solved: The Record-Breaking Run from Chicago to New York in October 1904

Let’s try this one more time since sometimes you get so wrapped up in the details, you miss the big picture!

-Identify this automobile and the record that it broke.
1904 Columbia that broke the Chicago to New York speed record in Oct 1904 with a time of 58 hours, 35 minutes.

-Identify one or more of the men in the Mystery Foto.
Bert Holcomb is in the driver seat and Lawrence Duffie is the front-seat passenger in this photo. Many other photos showing switched positions.

Where and when was this photo taken? Provide a rationale.
In front of the 1904 Vanderbilt Cup Race press box on Jericho Turnpike between Hitchcock Lane and Powells Lane. The car and group made an appearance at the race since arriving in New York two days beforehand at 1:45pm on October 6, 1904.

For those who missed it and are interested; A very nice website with the cars’ history designed and maintained by Lawrence Duffie’s grandson.
http://www.kcstudio.com/lld3.html

From Mystery Foto #13 Solved: The Record-Breaking Run from Chicago to New York in October 1904